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Growing Places set to throw Arbor Day party

Students help plant a tree at Frances Drake Elementary School in Leominster during the Arbor Day celebration on April 29, 2016. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE FILE PHOTO

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LEOMINSTER -- It'll be a day for the trees on April 29 as Growing Places holds a city Arbor Day celebration.

"We want to promote sustainable living so we're happy to be sharing the benefits of trees, whether they're for the environment or even individual health benefits," said Growing Places spokeswoman Erica Wood. "We definitely want to be celebrating our trees."

The free event will be held Saturday on the Doyle Reservation and will feature a tree-identification walk, picnic lunch, and tree-planting workshop taught by an International Society of Arboriculture certified arborist.

Local residents will also be able to sign up for free tree plantings through the state's Greening the Gateway Cities program. Adopted in Leominster last year, the program is seeking to increase the local tree population by offering free tree and planting services to all city residents. The program's goal is to plant 400 trees in both the spring and fall planting seasons.

"Last spring we planted nearly 400 and we sited another 400 for the fall, however, because of the drought, none of those trees were ever planted," Wood said. "All of those will still be planted this spring and we're still trying to hit another 400 as well."

This is the first year that Growing Places has hosted an Arbor Day celebration.

The tree-identification walk will last from 10 a.m. to 11:30, next Saturday, which will be followed by a one-hour picnic lunch and the tree planting workshop from 12:30 to 1:30.

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Guests are asked to meet at Pierce Meadow in the Doyle Community Park, located behind the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster.

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